Endodontic Retreatment

With the appropriate care, your teeth that have had endodontic treatment will last as long as other natural teeth.  Yet, occasionally, a treated tooth may fail to heal completely or may develop new problems.  Pain may occur months or years after treatment.  If so, endodontic retreatment may be needed.

 
 

Improper healing may be caused by:

  • Curved or narrow canals that were not treated during the initial treatment.
  • Complicated canals that went undetected during the initial treatment.
  • The crown or restoration was not placed within the appropriate amount of time following the procedure.
  • The crown or restoration did not prevent saliva from contaminating the inside of the tooth.
An example of a tooth with inflamed tissue
Inflamed Tissue
A visual of removing fillings from a tooth
Filling Removed
A representation of a tooth with its canals cleaned
Canals Cleaned
An illustration of new root filling material placed into a tooth's canals
Root Material Placed
An example of a tooth's filling restored by new root canal filling
Filling Restored
A representation of a fully healed tooth by new root canal filling placed
Healed Tooth

In some cases, new problems can influence a tooth that was successfully treated:

  • New decay can expose a root canal filling material, causing infection.
  • A cracked or loose filling or crown can expose the tooth to new infection.

Our doctors can diagnose the cause of post-endodontic disease and save such teeth by re-treating the root canal space. Advanced technology combined with our experience can give your tooth a second chance, thereby avoiding extraction.

After retreatment, you will need to return to your dentist as soon as possible in order to have a new crown or restoration placed on the tooth to restore full functionality.